Regulation under the Clean Air Act: Difference between revisions
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=== The U.S. Clean Air Act Places Limits on Airborne Particles === | === The U.S. Clean Air Act Places Limits on Airborne Particles === | ||
Because they are harmful to our health, airborne particles are regulated as part of the Clean Air Act. The [[Regulatory Agencies#U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)|U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)]] regulates PM<sub>2.5</sub> and PM<sub>10</sub> as two of six criteria pollutants that must meet specific concentration-based thresholds known as [https://www.epa.gov/criteria-air-pollutants/naaqs-table National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)], which you may hear pronounced as “the nacks”. The PM<sub>10</sub> NAAQS is a 24-hour average mass concentration of 150 μg/m<sup>3</sup>, not to be exceeded more than three times over three years.<ref>U.S. EPA, [https://www.epa.gov/criteria-air-pollutants/naaqs-table NAAQS Table]</ref> There are two PM<sub>2.5</sub> NAAQS: a 24-hour average mass concentration of 35 μg/m<sup>3</sup> and a recently revised annual average mass concentration of 9 μg/m<sup>3</sup>. The NAAQS are set to protect public health, including the health of more sensitive individuals such those with asthma as well as children and elders. That said, there is no known safe level of exposure to particles, with documented health impacts below the NAAQS. To determine NAAQS compliance, PM<sub>2.5</sub> and PM<sub>10</sub> must be measured using designated regulatory air monitors by an agency with the authority to do so, which in Virginia is the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VA DEQ). | Because they are harmful to our health, airborne particles are regulated as part of the Clean Air Act. The [[Regulatory Agencies#U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)|U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)]] regulates [[Particulate matter and coal dust|PM<sub>2.5</sub>]] and [[Particulate matter and coal dust|PM<sub>10</sub>]] as two of six criteria pollutants that must meet specific concentration-based thresholds known as [https://www.epa.gov/criteria-air-pollutants/naaqs-table National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)], which you may hear pronounced as “the nacks”. The [[Particulate matter and coal dust|PM<sub>10</sub>]] NAAQS is a 24-hour average mass concentration of 150 μg/m<sup>3</sup>, not to be exceeded more than three times over three years.<ref name=":0">U.S. EPA, [https://www.epa.gov/criteria-air-pollutants/naaqs-table NAAQS Table]</ref> There are two [[Particulate matter and coal dust|PM<sub>2.5</sub>]] NAAQS: a 24-hour average mass concentration of 35 μg/m<sup>3</sup> and a recently revised annual average mass concentration of 9 μg/m<sup>3</sup>.<ref name=":0" /> The NAAQS are set to protect public health, including the health of more sensitive individuals such those with asthma as well as children and elders. That said, there is no known safe level of exposure to particles, with documented health impacts below the NAAQS.<ref>cite</ref> To determine NAAQS compliance, [[Particulate matter and coal dust|PM<sub>2.5</sub>]] and [[Particulate matter and coal dust|PM<sub>10</sub>]] must be measured using designated [[Air monitoring#Regulatory Air Monitoring|regulatory air monitors]] by an agency with the authority to do so, which in Virginia is the [[Regulatory Agencies#Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VA DEQ)|Department of Environmental Quality (VA DEQ)]]. | ||
== Documents == | == Documents == | ||
== References == | == References == | ||
Revision as of 20:19, 29 April 2025
The U.S. Clean Air Act Places Limits on Airborne Particles
Because they are harmful to our health, airborne particles are regulated as part of the Clean Air Act. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates PM2.5 and PM10 as two of six criteria pollutants that must meet specific concentration-based thresholds known as National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), which you may hear pronounced as “the nacks”. The PM10 NAAQS is a 24-hour average mass concentration of 150 μg/m3, not to be exceeded more than three times over three years.[1] There are two PM2.5 NAAQS: a 24-hour average mass concentration of 35 μg/m3 and a recently revised annual average mass concentration of 9 μg/m3.[1] The NAAQS are set to protect public health, including the health of more sensitive individuals such those with asthma as well as children and elders. That said, there is no known safe level of exposure to particles, with documented health impacts below the NAAQS.[2] To determine NAAQS compliance, PM2.5 and PM10 must be measured using designated regulatory air monitors by an agency with the authority to do so, which in Virginia is the Department of Environmental Quality (VA DEQ).
Documents
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 U.S. EPA, NAAQS Table
- ↑ cite